When visiting theme parks, such as Disney and Universal, for example, it is common for guests to be approached by a theme park photographer to have their photograph taken as a souvenir that can later be retrieved at a designated area. For each park guest and their group having their photograph taken, a printed ticket with a number corresponding to their particular photograph is given to them by the theme park photographer.
The number on the printed ticket typically corresponds to a bar code that is associated with the photograph or photographs taken by the theme park photographer of the park guest and their group. A different bar code is used for each park guest and their group having their photograph taken.
To associate the bar codes with the photographs being taken, a personal digital assistant (PDA) is used. Each theme park photographer has a PDA coupled to their camera via an interface cord. The theme park photographer uses the PDA to first read or scan a bar code. The bar code is usually taken from a tablet of bar codes carried by the theme park photographer. After the photographs of a park guest and their group have been taken, they are then transferred to the PDA. The PDA includes software that associates the bar code with the corresponding photographs taken of the park guest. This process is repeated for each group of park guests having their photograph taken.
The theme park photographer later transfers the stored photographs and corresponding bar codes in the PDA to a photography database. Prior to leaving the theme park, the park guest can present their printed ticket at a photography gift shop. The photography database is searched using the number on the printed ticket which corresponds to the bar code used to identify their photographs.
Before the retrieved photograph is printed, the photography gift shop has the capability of adding creative artwork to the photograph. The park guest can select from different borders, logos or icons, for example. A drawback of adding the creative artwork to the photograph at the photography gift shop is that the park guest typically enters the photography gift shop near the end of their visit at the theme park. At this point, the park guest is tired and may not have the patience to go through each of their available photographs and select individualized artwork for each one. In addition, if their ticket is lost or misplaced, the photograph cannot be easily retrieved. Consequently, there is a need to improve how creative artwork can be added to photographs of park guests so as to enhance their theme park experience.